Summary
In this chapter we added some data sets to GeoServer. We used different formats for vector data. It should be now clear to you that as far as there is a data source available, you can manage different binary formats in GeoServer and mix them together in a map.
Specifically, we covered how to publish shapefiles and PostGIS tables. We then explored additional extensions and added Oracle and MySQL support to GeoServer.
In the next chapter, we will go forward with data publication. We will cover in detail how to use styles for rendering spatial features. You will learn how to set proper rules for different shapes, for example, point or polygon, and how to create styles with symbols reflecting the attributes' values of each feature.
Let's move on to ways to change the style of the maps using SLD defined styles.